Applications

General points

First read through the whole of the application form. This will help you to avoid misplacing or repeating information you're asked for. You will also see some details that will probably need looking up. So get your paperwork together.

Work on your application when you have time to concentrate, and do not assume you are immune to fulminant error-fever. Candidates with superb grades have omitted to state their names.

Personal data

Preferably give an email address linked to your home, place of work or place of study.

Give your permanent home address. Most contact is likely to be by cellphone or email, but formal correspondence needs to go somewhere safe.

Your contact number can be a land line or a cellphone, whichever is better for reaching you.

State the exact name of your course. Awarding institution. State the exact name of your university, followed if necessary by department.

Grade achieved/predicted

This information will be verified, so do not be vague with the truth or over-optimistic.

Cover letter

Word count

The maximum word count for this section is 600. Do not exceed it: the text will simply be cut off at the knees. Font and point are standardised automatically. You will find editing easier if you draft your statement on a Word Processing document first, then transfer the finished masterpiece to your application form.

Content

We recommend that you approach the statement in the same way that you would your resume, providing a succinct history of your employment history, work experience, studies and special interests to date. You may also wish to add aspirational elements, explaining why you have decided to apply for the Cobham GDP in particular. But think hard about what it's important for us to know, keep essentially to facts, and then credit us with clear sight, open minds and long experience of spotting what we want.

Quality. Do not trust spell checkers. Check your work, then proof-read it with a partner. If you redraft any of it, repeat the above.

And timing. Your ability to follow this advice rests, of course, on one last point: do not begin this process the night before the application deadline. Too late? This may yet turn out to be a problem we can help you address in the future...

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